Part of a bike path in St. Charles behind Riverside Avenue (Illinois Route 25) near the Fox River is expected to reopen sometime Friday, after crews repair a ruptured water main.

The pathway behind the 1600 block of Riverside Avenue (Route 25) closed at 2 p.m. Thursday, according to the city.

In the meantime, path users are asked to detour to the sidewalk on the east side of Riverside Avenue. The roadway remains open.

Mayor Clint Hull previously said the city experiences around 200 water main breaks annually due to the aged infrastructure, with some pipes between 75 and 100 years old.

The city has cited the necessity to upgrade infrastructure, including the aging water mains, as the main reason behind the utility rate increases projected to raise residents’ water and sewer bills by nearly 50% over four years.

The project is costing the city $471 million, with $333 million in infrastructure improvements and the remaining $88 million as part of a state-mandated lead water line replacement program.